


Longing For You

by SykoShadowRose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pinning, Secret Dancing Monkey, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26438593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SykoShadowRose/pseuds/SykoShadowRose
Summary: What started as a mission to find a better supply path for Amity leads to much more that bring different people together and leaves some of them with memories they will never be able to forget.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 53





	Longing For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Newagenewbarricade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Newagenewbarricade/gifts).



> I suck at summeries but I tried to get as much from the wishlist as possible into this story... Couldn't fit the MarrowGold so that'll have to wait til Christmas.... Hope you enjoy!

Tired carmine eyes traced the lines of the strong, broad back facing him from the front of the room. Muscles flexed and skin rippled as Clover’s arms moved, gesturing to something while he talked to James. Probably going over details for another mission out in the wilds of Solitas. They had been running more and more of those recently. The strong scent of fruit under his nose finally dragged his attention away from the Captain to find gold eyes watching him. He flushed slightly at being caught by Blake (he’d never be able to lie to her, she was too clever) but there was no judgement in her gaze. Just a quiet understanding as gold flicked over to the other corner of the room where Yang was standing and joking with Elm and Nora.

(A nightmare in the making. He prayed they’d be split up for whatever mission was coming for the day.)

For just a second, as her eyes watched Yang throw back her head and laugh at something one of the others had said, he saw the same longing in her gaze that she must have seen in his. Blake buried it deep with practiced ease as she turned back to him, still holding out the tea that he had first scented in offering. “It’s better for you than coffee.” She murmured quietly, softly furred ears curled slightly as she braced for his refusal.

Qrow smiled gently and took the cup, noting how her ears straightened and she smiled slightly. The bitter tar-like substance in the machine would probably do a better job of waking him up but he didn’t have it in his heart to reject such honest concern and kindness. The teas Blake had stocked up on after their arrival were all designed to boost their immune systems to help them cope with the colder climate. He wasn’t sure how much good it would actually do him, but to see her smile he’d at least give it a try for a few days.

She dipped her head slightly in parting, wandering off to take a seat but gravitating towards Yang like her aura was an actual force pulling her in instead. Qrow shook his head helplessly, understanding the feeling completely as his eyes were drawn to the front of the room again. Fighting off the need to go and join the brunette, he busied himself with the tea, tasting it and deciding that with a little bit of sugar (or a lot) it would actually be good. If she kept giving him fruit teas he might actually be able to bear living without coffee, though it would be a bit of an adjustment. Given the fact that he’d quit drinking, the tea might be good for him in more ways than they thought. 

He joined Ruby at the table in the back corner where she was dumping a stream of sugar into her own cup of tea and smiled. (This is what happened when he let her drink his coffee while she was growing up. She blamed him for being so short.) She smiled up at him when she noticed he was standing beside her and held out the container of sugar without being prompted. Qrow ruffled her hair playfully before snatching the sugar while she yelped, nimbly side stepping the slap she aimed his way with a laugh. Distracting himself with the kids was usually a pretty reliable way to keep from stalking his partner… 

~*~

Clover resisted the need to turn around and look when he heard the husky laugh from the back of the room, unable to afford the luxury when his General was giving him orders for the newest objectives for Amity. It was a treat just to hear Qrow laugh, but it was even more of one to see it. To watch his eyes light up, lips curving just enough to tease a hint of teeth. He wished he could summon a full fledged smile from the elder hunter. He wanted to see what actual joy looked like on his beautiful face. Unfortunately, even his kids had only been able to draw smirks and small smiles from the man that he had witnessed. Teal eyes focused back on the topic at hand as Winter joined him and James to transmit the relevant files to his scroll. He skimmed over the details so he could fill in everyone else while the two of them left to deal with other issues for the day.

They were to investigate a series of underground tunnels to see if they could be secured to be used to help transport personnel and supplies to Amity Tower. It would take days, if not weeks, to survey it all but it would be exceptionally helpful to their cause if they could find an easy, clear path barring a few sections between tunnels that moved up to the open tundra. If they could map a solid path then they would be able to cover those spots so that the frequent blizzards wouldn’t hamper their movements. It could save so much time…

Clover walked to the center in the front of the room, trying not to stare at Qrow messing with his niece while he waited for everyone to take their seats. Once they had settled in he briefed them on the current objectives and read out the mission roster for the day. He didn’t know who had thought shuffling around the partnerships would be a good idea but he wasn’t planning on letting it stay that way. Not when they would be scouting possibly Grimm infested enclosed areas, not when the tunnels could be unstable and dangerous in their own right. The only reason he allowed it for the day was because he didn’t have time to change everything around and James had already left. He’d have to settle the matter with his General after the day’s work had been completed. He could bring it up when he turned in the reports after the mission.

~*~

Jaune glanced over at Weiss, judging how safe it was to talk by the sharpness of her scowl. She, like many of the others, was deeply displeased by the partner assignment for the mission. He knew it wasn’t because of him (he was missing crosswalk duty for this, he hoped his kids wouldn’t be upset) but because she was missing her partner. Straightening his shoulders, the blond decided he may as well give it a shot and took the verbal leap of faith. “She’ll be fine.”

Pale blue eyes jumped to him from her scroll, where the mapping program was up and running. She was confused for a moment, her mind back in Mantle where Ruby was doing Jaune’s usual job and Penny was partoling the wall for invading Grimm. Weiss wished she’d been allowed to stay in the cities so she could be close to both of them, but the mission came first. Jaune took her silence as an invitation to explain what he meant. 

“The kids are great really! Very well behaved! Ruby’s probably having a blast with them. It’s the moms that are the difficult part of crosswalk duty. Though I doubt she’ll have to worry about it.” He threw up his hands defensively when those icy orbs narrowed on him, realizing how what he’d said could be interpreted. “Not that she isn’t pretty or attractive or that I don’t think anyone wants to date her or anything! Just that I’m sure she can handle them! Probably better than I can…”

The fierce look on Weiss’s face melted away as Jaune shifted from frantic to downtrodden. She knew the knight was just trying to reassure her and she hated to see him down on himself. He had become such a close friend, especially after Haven and she wished she knew a way to help him be more confident in himself. “I’m more worried about the trouble she’ll cause them than what they’ll cause her.” She smiled, trying to lighten the heavy mood that had fallen over her friend.

“Oh Brothers!” Jaune laughed, lifting a hand to his eyes. “I hope she doesn’t rub off on any of the kids. I’ll never hear the end of it!”

Weiss let out her own giggle, imagining a bunch of kids tying on blankets for capes and running around their houses as fast as they could. It was a charming idea… As long as you weren't the one having to deal with it. “Come on. If we hurry, we might be able to finish our assigned area early so you can save your minions from corruption.”

The tall blond smiled as they picked up their pace, just a bit. Both eager to get back for different reasons. Maybe, if they finished fast enough, Jaune could be there when school let out and Ruby could come with Weiss to join Penny on patrol. 

~*~

The next day, Clover sighed in relief as he opened the newest roster, noting that all of the usual partnerships had been restored. He was glad that James had agreed with his assessment of the danger and moved to have the problem sorted quickly. While patrolling with Blake had not been awful, there had been the slight issue of their weapons both being designed more for long distance over close quarters. They could fight close of course but it wasn’t always as effective. If they were going to mess with how everyone was paired up they could have at least taken that into consideration. 

It was all moot now, in any case. He had Qrow beside him and he was beside Qrow, where they belonged, and that was all that mattered. Today they were going to be working in larger teams to scout some of the bigger tunnels that they may be able to drive the trucks through if they were stable. He still intended to keep partners together but there would be a full team of eight out today to cover all their bases. He set a couple of them to help with a standard supply run and then called out the ones that would be joining him and Qrow in the tunnels.

~*~

Qrow kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, worried his semblance would act up (again) and put him in an even worse position. He hoped Blake would be alright. The two of them, being smaller and more geared towards stealth on the team, had gone through a crack in the wall of ice to scout for Grimm and see if it would be safe to open it further for their objective. He still wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, only that he knew his semblance was to blame when the walls cracked without any visual cause. They had nearly been washed away in the flood as freezing water was dumped on them. A river having been released when it broke, slamming into the wall and breaking it down. Splitting the eight of them up as they scrambled to climb out of reach of the water.

Blake had managed to throw her blade to Yang, using the ribbon to haul herself to shore before she had been carried too far down stream. Clover had literally fished him out of the water, biting his lips as Qrow had growled at him to say “Not. A. Word.” before any jokes could be made. The brunette had stayed silent but he was pretty sure the man was just biding his time. The soldier had shouted to the rest to check their scrolls for the nearest shelter (be it a survival shelter or a wearhouse) and head for it to await extraction. The mission for the day wouldn’t be completed before the blizzard hit as they had intended, so there was nothing more they could do. Especially not with two of them running dangerously low on aura as their bodies fought to stay alive in the extreme cold. 

Yang had pulled Blake close as she pulled out her scroll, following the fastest path to the nearest building. Nora and Ren had been led off by Harriet and Marrow before Clover had looked up the closest shelter from where they were, grimacing at the distance they would have to travel due to the way the river had split the cavern. At least it looked like they had enough time to get inside before the storm hit, even if he might have to pick up Qrow and carry him to get there in time. Though as much as he would enjoy holding the other he was certain the prideful hunter would never speak to him again if he was forced to take such actions. Fearful of both the possibility and the danger his partner was in, Clover set off, ensuring he was moving quickly without forcing Qrow to move faster than he could in his condition.

~*~

Yang stalked through the shelves, grabbing anything soft that she could use as padding. She’d already had her partner strip out of her wet clothing and wrapped her in the first few dry blankets she’d found. She was wishing, once again, that they had managed to make it to one of the actual shelters instead of the large, unheated warehouse when she finally found thermal blankets and small heating packs. Snatching up as many as she could carry in one go, she made her way back to the lounge with the pitiful personal heater where the cat faunus was waiting for her. 

An ear twitched at the sound of her footsteps as she approached but no other reaction came from the shivering form. The blond’s brows furrowed in concern as she quickly set to making a nest out of the scavenged materials, cracking the heating packs to activate them and placing them around strategically for maximum effect to keep them warm. The brawler coaxed her friend and partner (who was so much more to her than either of those words could accurately convey) into the pile before she stripped and joined her, pulling more over top of them to insulate the little space. 

She pulled Blake into the curve of her body, activating just a bit of her semblance to increase her own body heat. Yang tried not to read too deeply into the action when Blake pressed closer, gaining as much skin contact as she could. Burrowing into the space allowed to her to try to get warm as fast as possible. The slender teen probably hadn’t even realized she was doing it. Most likely the action had been her survival instincts telling her to get as close as she could to the nearest source of heat. Heart aching, Yang wrapped both arms around Blake and held on, wishing she was able to hold her partner like this all the time. 

~*~

Clover used his scroll to unlock the door to the survival cabin and quickly pulled the freezing hunter in so he could close the door. The cloth under his hand was stiff, the water having long since frozen and he felt a wave of concern roll over him as he tucked his scroll back into a pocket. It had taken far longer than he liked to reach the shelter and he only hoped Qrow would be able to recover safely from the exposure. The brunette set to turning on the generator, getting the small space warmed up so Qrow’s arua would be able to recover. He turned to prepare one of the beds so that Qrow could get out of the gear that was currently doing more harm than good but came to a dead stop when he caught sight of the back of the cabin. 

Where there should have been two small beds, side by side, there was only one and an empty frame.

Curious and confused, Clover pulled out his scroll. There was a pending requisition form for a new mattress after the last one had been ruined by a wounded soldier bleeding all over it. With all the chaos going on the form had fallen low on the priority list and hadn’t been processed yet. _Just my luck!_ Clover bit back a grin as he set the scroll on the small table and started what he had come to do. He had no intention of taking advantage of Qrow but he was hardly going to pass up the chance to hold the hunter. Not when he had been wanting to since they had been on their first mission together in the mines. The way Qrow had looked up at him when he stopped the lithe hunter from falling was forever burned into his mind. 

Qrow shuffled forward, following Clover to the back of the small building, the numbness inflicted by the cold starting to edge towards painful when he saw what had brought his partner up short. _Just my luck…_ Qrow resisted the urge to pout at the empty frame, wondering how he was going to get through the next few hours with the handsome specialist. Like it wasn’t hard enough to keep his eyes to himself as it was, just working with Clover. (Something he regularly failed at, as Blake could attest.) Now he’d have to try to stay calm while sharing a tiny bed with the man and try to never think of it again. (Something else he was sure to regularly fail at.) There was a gentle pull on his wrist that he barely felt, teal eyes meeting his own with a silent question.

“Come on. We need to get you warmed up before your aura breaks from the cold.” Clover stripped out of his vest and shirt, sitting on the bed to remove his boots. He paused when he realized Qrow hadn’t moved at all, unfocused red eyes watching him. He wasn’t shivering anymore, Clover realized, fear starting to thread into his being at the sight of blue lips. “Do you need help?”

Qrow jolted at the question, mind seeming to catch up with the situation, and set to removing his outer layers. Clover kept an eye on his progress as he finished removing the clothes he wouldn’t need. Qrow’s fingertips were frighteningly white as they fumbled with the clasps of his shirt, a harsh curse leaving the other on a breath when he failed to get free of the fabric. Clover brushed clumsy hands out of his way so he could reach the fastenings. Qrow’s aura was draining fast and they didn’t have time to waste. Startled crimson stared up at him as he stripped the other down, tossing his clothing over by the heater to dry, and tugged him onto the bed with him, hissing at the ice cold skin against his own. Qrow gasped, instinctively trying to move away from the burning heat, but Clover didn’t let him get far and tucked the blankets around them. 

Qrow clenched his eyes shut, struggling against his flight instinct as his body slowly adjusted to the heat pouring off his companion. After several long moments had passed, he started shivering again, the nerves waking up enough to realize they needed to keep him warm. Fighting his survival instincts, which were torn between needing to be closer to the warmth offered and staying away from what he wanted but couldn’t have, the shifter cautiously scooted closer. Clover wasted no time wrapping his arms around the pale form, pulling the icy body closer so that he could warm the other. Qrow closed his eyes, body tense as he snuggled up to the too hot brunette while he still had an excuse to. He would take this chance to be held while he could, memorize the feeling of Clover holding him to his body. Silently Clover prayed that this would be one of the longer blizzards so he could sayvor their time together. He wasn’t likely to get this chance again, even with his semblance.

~*~

Weiss crossed her arms, watching from her spot in the doorway as Ruby, once again, checked her scroll for updates. Yang and Qrow were both out in the blizzard and the last transmission from the deployed team reported that Blake and Qrow had nearly been washed away in the torrent of an icy river. It was bad enough that her sister was stranded out there and that their friend’s health was in danger. Knowing that her uncle, already struggling against the ailments of withdrawal, had been caught in both disasters was going to drive the sweet girl insane with worry.

Already the distressed silver-eyed teen had spent an hour pacing the floors, trying to remember if she had apologized to Qrow for when she’d yelled at him. For saying that she didn’t need him. The memory hurt her deeply and she wished she could take the words back, no matter how angry she’d been. What if she’d driven him away, back to the tribe and Raven? What if she’d pushed him over the edge that he was constantly on with his depression? There were so many terrible possibilities that she hadn’t even stopped to consider and now they were all rising together to haunt her at the same time. Ruby couldn’t remember if she had ever said sorry and she resolved to fix it when he returned. 

(He had to come back, they all did. She couldn’t afford to believe otherwise.)

The former heiress pulled out her scroll when it buzzed, a response from Penny waiting to be read. She had asked the Protector of Mantle to grab cupcakes and a movie on her way back from patrol with a brief explanation of what had happened to the away team. The huntress had caught on to the plan to distract Ruby quickly and had promised to bring at least four movies for them to choose from. (And as a failsafe in case the blizzard raged longer than anticipated.) The ginger haired huntress anticipated her arrival to be within the next half hour. Biting her lip, Weiss debated between trying to talk to Ruby on her own or waiting for Penny. 

It wasn’t like she didn’t feel the same kind of concern, she just had more experience at forcing down her feelings to act confident. Weiss knew, probably better than any of the others, just how much of a risk Qrow was taking quitting the way he had. Weiss had witnessed the aftermath of withdrawal more than once when her mother had tried (and failed) to quit in the past. The hunter could only use his aura so long to keep the worst symptoms at bay before it all caught up to him after all. Weiss hadn’t even known that an aura could be used like that but she supposed the man would have needed some way to cope for when he was on a mission and his flask ran empty. 

She wondered if anyone else realized what he was doing. 

Weiss wasn’t even sure what it was that made her realize he was using his aura to suppress his symptoms. It occurred to her, after she had picked up on it, that it was probably a survival tactic he’d picked up while out alone on long missions. Not just for when he ran empty but for when he got sick. It was probably developed from his aura fighting the damage the alcohol was trying to inflict on his body and she worried at how well he’d fare in the extreme cold after being soaked with his aura already fighting to keep him alive and stable. She pushed the fear down. There was no reason for it. After all, he wasn’t alone out there this time.

The fencer was sure he’d be alright as long as Clover was with him though. She had seen the way the Atlesian Captain looked at Qrow when the scythe wielder was distracted. Soft and tender, like Qrow was something to be treasured. Weiss had found herself watching them often, wishing Ruby or Penny (or both of them) would look at her that way. She wouldn’t be surprised if someone told her she looked at both of them that way. Sighing heavily, the long haired teen trudged over to sit beside Ruby. Neither of them might be up for conversation but they could still be there for each other while they waited for Penny to arrive. And maybe, just maybe, it was time for her to tell the other girls how she felt. Even if they didn’t feel the same, she trusted them not to break her heart more than they had to.

~*~

Penny gently tucked the blanket around the two forms curled together on the couch. It was late, or early depending on how you chose to see it, and she knew that she should make her way to her room to make use of her charging station but… She didn’t want to leave Ruby and Weiss out here in the lounge alone. They had gone through a whole movie and nearly finished the second when the storm had finally cleared. By then night had fallen in full and the still thick cloud cover blocked all light from the shattered moon, making it far too dangerous to send ships out for a rescue with the recent Grimm activity so high. Ruby had actively been planning ways to steal another ship and go after her family herself when a series of messages came in from the stranded team members. 

Blake and Yang had managed just fine, getting the faunus warmed up to safe levels, and once the storm had passed them, the two made their way from the warehouse to the nearest survival cabin. Coincidently it was the same one Harriet and Marrow had led Ren and Nora to earlier, so everything was already set up by the time they arrived. The space was a bit cramped with the six of them (and Nora made sure everyone knew it) but they would be fine until after daybreak. Clover had reported that Qrow was recovering still but that it didn’t look like he’d suffer any long term damage, just that he’d need time and rest once they returned to Atlas. While Ruby was still anxious about her uncle’s wellbeing, she trusted Clover’s judgement enough to at least wait until they had been brought back. She’d make her own judgements then.

Weiss had coaxed the rose back to the movie, pulling her down between her and Penny so that they could each hold one of her hands. And then she’d made once of the most amazing confessions either of them had ever heard. She’d told them to think about things before answering her and they’d promised they would. Now was as good a time as any for Penny. The Protector bushed back Ruby’s bangs and shifted Weiss’s braid so that it didn’t get pulled by accident. The proper thing to do would be to wake her friends and send them off to their beds to sleep properly while she went to her room to recharge after yesterday’s patrol. 

Penny did not do the proper thing.

Green eyes carefully watching for any signs of distress that would indicate a nightmare, the young huntress stood guard over her slumbering companions. Surely one night without charging wouldn’t damage her systems. Her power levels were still decent, she would just have to turn in a little earlier to recharge the next night is all. She stayed alert for any change in their vitals until after the sun started to rise, then she left, leaving behind a note for the two of them in case they woke while she was gone, to organize the retrieval of the away team. Ruby would be pleased to wake and find her family safely returned and Penny wanted nothing more than to see her smile.

~*~

Teal eyes watched as a guilty looking Qrow slid into the seat next to Blake once the medical team had checked them both over. Gold eyes widened and her face became earnest as she spoke to the older hunter. Clover was too far away to hear what was being said but he could hazard a pretty solid guess. Qrow obviously blamed himself for what had happened on the mission, for what had happened to Blake on the mission, and had probably tried to apologize while he checked to see if she was okay. From the look of it the teen was trying to assure the man that she didn’t hold him responsible and that she was fine. He was relieved, though he hadn’t actually thought Blake would blame Qrow. It was still nice to see for himself that she wasn’t going to let Qrow blame himself either. 

The Captain’s attention shifted to the blond next to him, taking in the creased brow and narrowed eyes. His eyes dropped to the clenched fists, worried for a moment that she may hurt her flesh hand with her metal one by accident. “You good?”

The brawler startled, wide lilac eyes jumping up to meet his teal. “Yea, yea. I’m golden. Just…” She sighed, looking back over to her partner with a look of concern and tenderness that was all too familiar to Clover because he knew how often it was on his own face. “I didn’t know if we were going to get her warm enough at the start. Wearhouse, you know.” He hands relaxed as she waved one absently, trying to make him understand everything she wasn’t saying with the small gesture. Lucky for her, he did. 

“I get it…” Clover thought back to how Qrow had looked when they had finally made it to the shelter. How cold his body had been when he’d pulled them together. “I was terrified we’d taken too long to reach the cabin when we got there. His lips were blue and he wasn’t even shivering anymore…” He pursed his lips anxiously, thinking of everything that could have happened, could have gone wrong, if Qrow had been on his own as he was so used to being. The medics had declared him stable but he was going to need a proper looking at once they reached Atlas… As long as he did what he was supposed to do anyways...

Yang’s eyes widened at the admission, understanding just how bad, how _dangerous_ , the hypothermia was when a person stopped shivering, their body too cold to register the need to stay warm anymore. Knowing her uncle had been that far along with everything else he was already going through… The thought sent a shiver of dread up her spine and she had to remind herself that he was going to be fine. That he was sitting next to Blake, smiling softly as they talked with each other on the other side of the ship. Brothers, she didn’t think she’d have been able to stay calm and sane if Blake had hit that point. The fact that Clover had held it together for both of them and gotten Qrow through it upped the respect she already had for the Captain. 

“Thank you for taking care of him. Knowing Uncle Qrow, he wouldn’t have done nearly enough to stay properly warm if he’d been on his own.” A strong hand fell on her shoulder in response, giving a comforting squeeze before disappearing, the two of them lapsing into silence for the rest of the trip back to Atlas.

The ship landing startled them both a bit and Clover turned to look outside while he waited for everyone else to depart first. A team of medics were waiting inside the hanger to look everyone over, probably sent by James or Winter to ensure that any necessary treatment was received as quickly as possible.

Clover watched Penny with concern through the small window as she stumbled on her landing, just after the ship. She had opted to fly beside the ship on the way back to keep and eye out for any Grimm and to ensure there was enough room for the team and the medics that had been brought with but he hadn’t thought any Grimm had dealt the girl damage, so logically there was no reason for her to stumble. Was her calibrations off? As he came off the ship, he saw Weiss, Ruby, Jaune and Oscar running out to join their teammates and ask about their wellbeing, moving around the medical teams while they worked. Ruby spent several minutes with her uncle, convincing herself that he was indeed going to be okay. Once the initial reassurances were completed and all the medical staff had departed, Weiss and Ruby went to Penny and each took an arm, supporting the green eyed teen between them as they led her away, gently scolding her about not taking care of herself as they passed by him. 

“Ruby said she didn’t recharge before coming to get us.” The low voice behind him wasn’t what he was expecting, a different pitch and no rasp. Clover turned to meet Blake’s eyes, catching sight of Yang harassing Qrow in the distance as she shoved him inside the building, presumably to finish recovering. The medics had ordered rest for him and Blake with instructions to come to the infirmary the next day for a thorough examination.

“Not like her to miss something like that.” And it explained the stumble. Her power levels must have been getting too low to properly function. He wondered why she chose to skip such an important part of her self care but was thankful that no true harm came of it.

“No, I didn’t think so.” Thoughtful eyes stared at the door where the three had vanished, a slight smile on her lips before she gave him a small nod and walked off. Clover had the sneaking suspicion she knew something he didn’t but he was fairly sure that chasing her down to ask questions would get him nowhere, so he let the matter drop. 

Clover waited until everyone from the team had gone inside before he followed, heading off to give what little he had to report so he would be free to rest in his room. He wished he had more to give James, or that the news he had was better, but all he could tell his General was that the tunnel they had been investigating was most definitely not one that they could use for the supply runs to Amity.

~*~

“I will be fine! I hadn’t wanted to leave the two of you and my levels were high enough that I was still able to accept the rescue mission. There is no reason to worry!” Penny tried to keep her legs moving at the right pace, not wanting her friends to bear her considerable weight any more than they already were, but she seemed to be having trouble lifting them fully. Perhaps the flight back had drained her levels more than she had anticipated… 

“Penny, you’re our friend. We’re going to worry when you don’t take care of yourself, regardless of your reasons for not doing so.” Weiss opened the door while Ruby seconded her words. By now the two of them were practically carrying the mechanical teen and they shared a worried look as her head started to droop between them. 

“But…” 

“No, Pen… How would you feel if one of us went a whole night without sleeping and then went on a mission?” Ruby’s scowl was more of a pout as they helped the mechanical teen into her station. As badly as she wanted her family back safe she wasn’t ready to trade Penny’s safety for their’s. She just had to make her friend understand that. 

“I would feel… Worried and unhappy.” She admitted quietly, looking down at her feet instead of at their faces. Penny was not overly familiar with the feeling of shame, she’d done little to invoke the emotion that she could remember, but she was sure that’s what was currently firing through her systems. Penny jumped, a hand flying up to her face when she felt Ruby kiss her cheek.

“We just don’t want anything to happen to you again, okay? Please be more careful with yourself?” Silver eyes were wide with their sincerity, wanting nothing more than for all the people she cared about, including Penny, to be safe and happy.

“For our sake if not your own.” Weiss added, leaning up to place a kiss to her other cheek.

Penny promised to be better in the future, a wide smile forming on her face as she settled back to recharge. The last thing she registered before closing her eyes was Weiss taking Ruby’s hand and lifting it to place a gentle kiss on the back of it. She couldn’t wait to “wake up” and talk to the two of them. Her decision had been made and she was sure Ruby’s had too.

~*~

Yang sighed as she returned to their room after shoving her uncle into his and making sure he actually ate something before crashing into bed. Part of it was knowing that he probably wouldn’t if left on his own and part of it was wanting to be certain that he’d be alright after learning just how bad he’d been. When she entered their dorm room the first thing she noticed was that Ruby and Weiss were absent. The second thing was that Blake was curled up on _her bunk_ reading one of her books with the blankets wrapped around her. The brawler paused for only a second before she recovered, walking all the way in and getting ready for a nap to make up for the sleep lost by being trapped in an enclosed space with Nora for an extended period of time. (She wasn’t sure how Ren and Jaune managed it. There had to be some kind of trick.) 

Saying nothing at all, the blond crawled onto the bed, laying her head on Blake’s lap and wrapping her arms around the slender waist. It was reassuring to hold onto her friend, her partner, after sitting with her uncle and witnessing the lingering effects of hypothermia on him despite everything he did to hide it. If Blake had been affected so deeply… She didn’t know what she would have done. Delicate fingers carefully threaded into her hair, brushing through to work loose the knots that she had missed. For a brief second, Yang felt her muscles start to tense for a fight but she forced it down. Yes, she was protective of her hair, but Blake was one of the few people she trusted with it and the feeling was soothing. In no time at all, Yang felt herself being lulled to sleep and gave into the pull. Above her, gold eyes traced every beautiful feature they could capture, committing to memory how calm and peaceful she looked in her sleep. 

~*~

Clover sighed to himself as he looked over the briefing room, mourning the absence of his partner. Yang was sulking in the back corner of the room, probably missing Blake as much as he was missing Qrow. Thankfully the faunus had been warmed much faster and hadn’t suffered the effects of the cold quite as much, so she was only being forced off-duty for a day. Qrow had been forced on medical leave for a week, regardless of his… passionate… arguing against the order. Clover could have told the man it would do no good to argue with the doctor, especially with his symptoms still present, but he knew it would do as much good as arguing with the doctor. Blake had taken the news with more grace, possibly because she only had to suffer the idleness for a day. Still, as she’d walked away to return to her room to rest there had been _something_ in her gaze as she’d glanced over her shoulder at Yang. 

That look reminded him so much of Qrow. He felt like he should know what it was but he just couldn’t quite put a name to it. 

The Captain paired Yang up with him for the day and assigned them both to patrol the Wall. They should be able to manage well enough with each other but he’d prefer to have them out in the open and close to back up just in case something took a turn for the worst. Just because he was lucky didn’t mean he should be careless, especially when it was another’s safety he was putting on the line. 

“So… Uncle Qrow seemed huffy this morning… I’m guessing he’s grounded for more than just a day?” Yang spoke up after they had left the transport and made their way to their area for the day.

“He has a week to recover and then they’ll evaluate if it’s safe for him to go back out on the field.” Clover confirmed, seeing no reason to keep her in the dark about her uncle’s condition. 

“You’re gonna wanna keep an eye on him then cause he’s not used to being held back from a mission.” She could remember so many times as a child when Qrow had left the house, bruises and scrapes still scattered across his skin, to go back out on a job. Her father had always worried, fretted, _argued_ but it had never stopped the thin hunter. Knowing what was on the line, Yang understood the mentality Qrow had about not stopping but she wished he’d take better care of himself. She hoped Clover could succeed where Tai had always failed in the past. He had more reasons to give in an argument that would slow Qrow down, she thought.

“The staff place a medi-bracelet on his wrist to keep tabs on his vitals, aura and location. It’ll alert them to anything that they may need to worry about.” The blond next to him gave a disbelieving snort and he felt a thread of doubt wind it’s way around his heart. “I’ll check in with him after the mission.”

“Don’t bother knocking if you want to catch him in the act…”

~*~

Qrow flipped the small razor-thin blade in his hand, angling the edge to align with the crease on the band. He had just started to pry the medical tracker open when his door opened and someone breezed in. Wide carmine eyes shot up to look up with uncertainty at his partner as the man came over to where he was located. Clover didn’t even look surprised as he stood, fists propped on his hips, staring down at Qrow like a parent preparing to scold a child. A heavy sigh left the brunette, making Qrow’s shoulders hunch, feeling like he’d disappointed his partner in some way. Slouching down in his chair, the former tribesman slid the mini-weapon across the table, looking away from stren teal eyes when the weight became too much to comfortably bear. 

The silence continued for several long heartbeats, then heavy boot steps echoed through the room, drawing closer to the shamed hunter until they came to a rest right in front of him. They stopped just in his line of vision on the floor and waited, but he was unable to look up and meet those sea eyes again after being caught. The silence stretched again, pressing him further down into the feeble chair to the point that he began to wonder if it would break apart underneath him from the pressure. He started at the quiet thud that resounded around him, trying to comprehend the new sight that greeted his eyes. While he was still trying to process the fact that _Clover_ was kneeling in front of him, the man lifted a hand to cup his jaw, forcing him to finally meet the eyes he’d been so desperately avoiding.

He tensed at the action, allowing it but wary of what he would find. Instead of the judgement and disappointment he expected there was nothing but concern and compassion. Qrow shrank back further, unsure how to deal with the Captain who didn’t look even the slightest bit upset at him for what he’d obviously been doing. 

Clover drew in a deep breath, holding it for a moment while he tried to parse out what he wanted to say. “Qrow… I know that you’re used to taking a hit and getting back up to fight but…” He paused, making sure that soft red eyes were meeting his own. “I need you to understand that you don’t have to. Not here. Yes, the war is still going, and yes, we need to keep fighting. But you aren’t alone anymore. We’re here to hold the line while you rest and when you recover you can take your place with us again. Please. Just let your body heal… For us…”

Qrow sucked in his bottom lip, biting down on it to stop the instinctive impulse to insist that he was, as always, fine. Because the truth was that he was only fine because he had no other choice but to be fine. Honestly, he wasn’t fine and hadn’t been for a very long time. He dropped his eyes though he didn’t pull away from the gentle hold. “If you’re going to lock me up at least give me something to do while I sit around…” 

The smile on Clover’s face when he peeked up was worth every coming second of excruciating idleness that would come in the following week.

~*~

Blake blew out a breath as she knocked quietly on the door. While she was hoping for an ear to listen to her ramblings and maybe a shoulder to lean on, she didn’t want to disturb him if he was resting. Three days down and four more to go before Qrow would (hopefully) he cleared for duty. They had started taking turns on who would go and spend time with the confined hunter after the first day, when they had realized how much the forced inactivity and isolation was getting to him. She was silently grateful that Ruby had wanted to go see the man for herself (to ensure he was properly resting) and brought her along, or it may have taken longer for them to notice the problem and his cries for help had been ignored for far too long as it was. 

The opening of the door broke her thoughts, bringing her focus to the man standing in front of her. Blake held up the box she was holding in offering and he smiled, stepping back so she could enter his apartment. She went straight to the kitchen and started the familiar motions of brewing tea, needing the routine to help calm and organize her thoughts while she filled him in on the day’s events. She waited until they were both curled on the couch, tea in hand and an open box of chocolates between them, to broach the subject that had been haunting her mind for far longer than she should have left it to fester.

“Uncle Qrow?” 

He paused minutely, as always when one of the teens called him Uncle (though his reaction time was improving, it had taken a full minute to respond the first time it happened), but turned and gave her his full attention. “What’s on your mind Shadow?”

“Yang...” Blake admitted quietly, chewing nervously on her lip and staring at a point over his shoulder. “Ever since… the mission… We’ve been closer and… I was thinking of telling her… How I feel.” The faunus pulled her legs up, tucking her feet under her as her ears curled down. She didn’t know what she was seeking from him, really. Except maybe a second opinion of whether she was doing the right thing. 

Qrow drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he let that news sink in. He understood why she had come to him before confessing. He just wished he could give her the confidence she needed to face his niece without hesitation. “If you’re ready to tell her then do it. The worst that could happen is she tells you she just wants to be friends.” He offered a feeble smile when she finally looked at him. Heartbreak was heartbreak no matter what but at least they could keep their friendship, their partnership. Though perhaps that would just make things more difficult for Blake. Still… “Yang won’t be cruel if she doesn’t feel the same. And if it’s something she hasn’t thought about, she’ll just ask for a chance to think about it.” 

Blake tipped her head, considering what he’d said and nodding to acknowledge that he had very valid points. It wasn’t what she’d been hoping to hear but it was the truth and she appreciated that far more. “What about you?” At his blank look she lifted her tea to hide her smile. He already knew she was aware of his feelings for the Captain. Did he think she would pretend they didn’t exist? “Clover? Are you going to tell him?”

A scowl immediately took over and Qrow snorted. It was a pretty solid clue as to what was about to leave his mouth but that didn’t mean she liked when he actually said it. “We got a good thing going kid. Don’t rock the boat. Especially not with my semblance around.”

The teen suppressed a sigh, having already guessed his answer but she’d hoped for something different. She was pretty sure his misfortune would have no power over this outcome but he’d lived so long being blamed for everything that convincing him otherwise would be a war on it’s own. She was going to need reinforcements to wage that battle. But later. First she wanted his opinion on what she planned to do for her confession.

~*~

Yang paused, looking down at the little box that was left on her bunk. The small note attached to the ribbon declared the gift as being from Blake and the blond curiously untied it so she could pry off the lid. Inside the small box was something the same size and weight as her emblem belt buckle. In fact, looking more closely at it revealed that it was meant to slide onto her belt as a decoration. The metal itself was beautifully worked, a gold dragon and a blck cat curled together to form a heart. She smiled, undoing her belt so she could slip the metal on when she noticed the little note in the bottom of the box. Once she had donned her new accessory she unfolded the note and took a seat to read it.

_Yang_

_I know that I should have told you this face to face but it seems that I’m still the coward I’ve always been with matters of the heart._

_I wanted to tell you that I love you but it doesn’t seem like enough._

_I need you to know that me being in love with you doesn’t have to change anything. The truth is I’ve been in love with you for a long time now. It is, honestly, the reason why the events at Beacon hurt me so much. I never wanted to bring you pain. I accept now that it wasn’t my fault and that there’s little I could have done that would have changed the outcome. Though sometimes the guilt is still there. I think some of it always will be._

_Really I don’t expect you to return my feelings but I felt you have a right to know. Especially with how much closer we’ve been._

_Whatever you feel, however you want to deal with my feelings, be it ignoring them or confronting them, I will still consider you my friend and partner._

_Always_

_Blake_

Yang’s hand trembled, causing the words to blur slightly, the tears forming in her eyes making it even more difficult to reread the letter. How could Blake think she’d discard her, or her feelings, like they were nothing? Like they didn’t exist? She had wanted so much for this… Drawing a shuddering breath, the brawler swiped at her eyes with one arm and stood, resolutely marching out of the room. She had a pretty good idea of where to find the raven and she wasn’t about to leave Blake without an answer any longer than she had to. 

~*~

Blake watched as Weiss, Ruby and Penny left the greenhouse. Penny was in the middle with the other two holding her hands, Weiss eating a snow cone (in _Atlas!_ ) while Ruby had a cupcake. As they walked out of sight she could see each of them offer a bite to Penny despite the fact that the girl didn’t need to eat. It was sweet to see them so obviously together and happy about it. She turned back to her book, trying not to squirm anxiously as she realized that Yang had to have found her gift by now. She had sworn to herself that she would not do anything more than what she had already done without encouragement from Yang. She wasn’t even sure if she should return to their room or give the other teen space. It would depend on what her friend wanted.

Whatever happened from this point on what entirely up to her partner. 

The doors to the greenhouse opened again and the very person she’d been thinking of walked in. Clenching her fists to mask their shaking, Blake stood to meet the other when lilac locked onto her and the brawler started over, determination in every line of her body. Her ears flattened nervously when Yang said nothing on her way over, walking right up to her. Before Blake had the chance to break the silence an arm looped around her waist and pulled her tight to the hotter than normal body. Her eyes flew wide and she’d barely parted her lips to ask a question when Yang’s metal hand tipped her chin up so she could connect their mouths. For all the fierce energy the blond carried around her the touch of their lips was gentle. 

A request, not a demand. 

Gold eyes slid shut as she gave in, allowing Yang what she was asking for, pale hands creeping up to cling to tan shoulders. It was a much better reaction that she had expected, though she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised at Yang’s course. The blond had always favored actions over words after all. Why would this have been an exception when she could convey all she wanted to say with such a simple thing as a kiss? 

~*~

Clover paused, eyebrows raising as he caught sight of Yang and Blake through the glass walls of the greenhouse. Shaking his head slightly in amusement (they obviously got caught up in each other and forgot that anyone could see them), he turned on his heel and walked back the way he’d come, opting for the long way around so that he wouldn’t risk disturbing the new couple. He was happy for them, truly he was. But as he entered his empty home and settled in for the night he also admitted that he was a bit envious of what they had.

~*~

Qrow smiled into his tea as Yang and Blake held hands between the seats during the briefing, ignoring the teasing from some of the other kids. At least he didn’t have to ask how things had gone, which was the whole reason he had come. The two of them looked so radiant together. Happy flushes pinkening their cheeks, smiles so wide his own face hurt just looking at them. He bit his lip to stop a laugh when they were assigned to archiving reports for the day. The other hunters obviously started in on them playfully as everyone was dismissed but the two brushed all of it off, not letting anything ruin their good moods. He waited until Clover was getting ready to hop into the supply truck, making a run out to Amity before he subtly issued his accusation.

“You know… I’m pretty sure it was Harriet and Marrow’s shift for archives…”

Clover smiled a bit, lifting a hand to rub at his neck. “Yea… Well, Harriet hates that job anyways and I saw them last night and figured they might like some time to get settled…”

Qrow chuckled, touched at the other’s foresight and kindness. “Thank you, for doing that for them.”

“It’s no problem…” Clover forced a smile, trying to ignore how much he wanted to copy Yang and pull Qrow over to him. Though having time with Qrow was one of the reasons he so frequently assigned them to Amity’s supply runs. It was a lonely job while his partner was recovering but he could manage it. And the fact that Qrow had developed the habit of meeting him upon his return to see how things had gone was sweet.

~*~

Yang frowned as she watched her uncle walk away from Clover. Again! The Captain stood staring until the last of the red cape had vanished around the corner before he finally turned and walked away, probably to submit his report for Amity. She’d wonder how Qrow could be so blind if she wasn’t guilty of the same crime. Who knew how long it would have taken her to realize Blake loved her if she hadn’t confessed first? Dad had needed to make the first move too… Maybe it was a family blindness… Whatever the case, it meant that Clover was going to have to do something because Qrow never would. Nodding to herself, Yang turned sharply to hunt down her sister (and what she could find of her team) for help. Weiss at least would have a pretty good idea of how to get Clover to say something. 

~*~

“If Clover confessed to you, would you accept him?” Qrow paused in making the food Yang had instructed him to make without a reason, wondering where that question had come from. Maybe because of how things had turned out with Yang? He had thought that he’d settled this matter with Blake but he supposed her previous query had been if _he_ would confess. (The answer was never.) Not what he’d do if Clover did it. 

“I… Don’t know Shadow.” He stirred the soup, allowing himself to imagine just for a few moments a reality where Clover wanted to be with him. The memory of being held by Clover in the cabin adding a sharpness to the dream that he could hardly bear. The longing that clenched his throat, that crushed his chest was too much after mere seconds and he shook his head. Discarding the thought as impossible. He waited for the pain to subside, for the memory to fade, enough that he could speak again. “It doesn’t matter anyways. Why would he settle for me when he could do better?”

With his back turned to her, Qrow didn’t see the way Blake’s ears flattened at his answer. She checked her scroll, noticing that none of her teammates had responded to her earlier message. Blake had gone to Qrow’s to begin the epic fight against his self-esteem issues so that he would approach Clover but the back-up she needed had apparently made other plans. Though he did say something about Yang ordering him to cook something for dinner. She wondered what it was about but the blond hadn’t said anything to her yet. 

Qrow heard a quiet sigh behind him and waited, knowing that the girl was thinking of an argument to use against him. What surprised him was that it was a question she chose to ask. What bothered him even more was that he wasn’t sure what answer he could give that wouldn’t be swept away. Nothing he said in answer would have held against her, so in the end he said nothing and allowed the query to echo endlessly in the silence. 

“What better is there than you?”

~*~

Clover glanced over his shoulder, checking to see if he was still being stalked by Qrow’s kids. (They were hiding down the hall, though not very stealthily.) He still wasn’t sure what he was doing (by order of Ruby, Weiss, and Yang) was really a good idea but he was sure that if he didn’t do it the girls would find out and he would pay dearly for not obeying. It was a terrifying thought honestly. (He didn’t remember teenage girls being so frightening in his youth…) Bracing himself mentally as best he could Clover knocked on the door, raising an eyebrow at a curious Blake. The observant teen noticed the little gift box he held, similar to the one she’d given to Yang and straightened, putting things together quickly. Giving an approving nod, she led him back into the kitchen. 

“You have company, Uncle Qrow. I’ve got to go find Yang.” She leaned over to place a quick kiss on his cheek, inflicting a faint blush, and whispered something in his ear before she left them alone. Offering an encouraging smile to Clover on the way out. 

Qrow tossed a nervous look over his shoulder once they were alone, turning back to his cooking quickly. “Hungry?”

The abrupt question threw Clover and he blinked owlishly at the rather domestic image of Qrow in casual clothes, cooking in a kitchen. “What?”

“Are you hungry?”

“Oh! Uh, yea, actually.” 

“Good.” Qrow pulled the pot off the burner and flicked off the stove, moving around as he got together everything they needed to eat. 

Clover noticed that there seemed to be an anxious energy to his partner and wondered what it was that Blake had said to him. Teal eyes flicked down to the box he’d set on the counter, wondering if he should wait until after they ate to give him the gift that Weiss had insisted he bring with him. He knew he would have to do it before he left, he just had to figure out the timing. Sometime after they’d eaten, he guessed. Hopefully by then Qrow will have settled some. 

Things were relatively quiet between them as they ate, with Clover offering some little details of what had been going on during the missions and Qrow commenting how much he was looking forward to returning to duty. If the doctors cleared him. Clover was sure they would and said as much. Small talk continued through clean up and into the living room. Clover turned from where he’d been putting in a movie for them to watch and was struck by how soft and beautiful Qrow looked. How at ease he was.

The hunter was wearing nothing more elaborate than a soft cotton t-shirt and loose cloth sleep pants but he was captivating to the specialist. The raven had curled up on the couch and was looking at him curiously, probably wondering what Clover was just standing there staring at him, so Clover decided now was probably the best time to give him his gift. 

“I, uh… I got this for you…” He held out the box, waiting for the other to take it before he sat down, trying not to fidget with nerves. He hoped Qrow liked the gift, maybe enough to smile, but he couldn’t say for certain that he would. 

Qrow tipped his head, intrigued by the box. It wasn’t heavy but not really light either and the former tribesman lifted the lid, peeking inside to catch a glimpse of silver before he fully removed the top from the box. Sitting in the box was a pair of matching wristbands, black metal with a silver design that he knew all too well. It was the same markings he had on Harbinger but the colors were inverted. He wondered how long Clover had been studying his weapon to be able to replicate it, smiling at the thought before he brought himself under control. The brunette could have easily called up images to get the design, he didn’t have to memorize it.

“Thank you. They’re beautiful…” 

His wish had been granted. For just a few short moments Clover had gotten to witness an actual smile on Qrow’s face and it had been absolutely breathtaking. But something shifted just as quickly and now it was gone, back to the small reserved smiles he knew. His heart clenched, believing this was the part where Qrow told him he didn’t feel the same, no matter what the kids insisted. But the words never came. Instead Qrow carefully took each band out and slipped them on, testing their weight on his wrists. Shyly he turned back to Clover.

“You didn’t have to bribe me to keep behaving you know.” The smile was wry, brittle, and Clover realized Qrow was not fully joking. The elder honestly thought the gift was a reward for being good and allowing his body time to recover which was… not what Clover was trying to say at all. 

“That’s not…” His words failed him as he tried to figure out how to word it in a way that wouldn’t make things worse. Not that the elder didn’t deserve a reward for behaving but now he felt a little guilty for not even thinking about it, which was a bit ironic given what Qrow had just said. The purpose had been to show how much he paid attention to Qrow, though, to show how much he cared. He just had to figure out what to say to make Qrow understand that. He didn’t even get the chance to gather his thoughts before a bitter chuckle caused him to flinch.

“It’s okay. I know how much of a pain I can be. There’s been no shortage of people willing to tell me just how difficult I am, so you don’t have to pretend otherwise. I get it. And I’m sorry I’ve been so bad that me actually being good made you feel like you had to get me something. I’ll try not to be as much of a pain in the future so you don’t have t-” Qrow didn’t get the chance to finish when Clover tipped his chin up and dove down to capture his lips, needing to stop the words pouring out before they hurt either of them more than they already had. 

“Qrow…” Clover sighed against his lips, barely pulling away to speak, soft flesh brushing together with every word. “I didn’t get it because of that… I got it for you because I wanted to show you how much you mean to me…”

“...oh…” Qrow had fisted the front of Clover’s shirt at some point, though he honestly didn’t remember moving his hands. He couldn’t recall closing his eyes either but he found himself needing to open them so he could look back at teal. Qrow felt Clover smile against his mouth.

“So… Can I keep going?” Clover watched the hazy carmine eyes blink slowly, taking in his question. There was a sharp breath against his lips as the other’s hands tightened as if to stop him from pulling away.

“Don’t ever stop… Please…” 

He didn’t.

~*~

Qrow could feel the numerous eyes on him as he stood waiting for Clover to finish his duties for the day. Part of him felt like he should teach the kids how to properly spy but then he’d have to deal with them using the skills he taught them against him and he cringed internally at the thought. They’d just have to figure it out on their own. Ren and Blake could help them. Out of all of them, those two had the best chance of mastering the fine art of spying without being caught. He bit his lip to force down a smile when one of them caused a chain reaction of bumps that sent Ruby sprawling to the ground, quickly being yanked back behind cover by one of the others. As if he wouldn’t have noticed them by now even without all the noise. Qrow could faintly hear scolding, though he was too far away to tell if it was for the lack of stealth or because Ruby had been the one exposed.

Clover finally walked out of the office, snatching up all his attention with the brightest smile he’d ever seen on the man. The teal eyes briefly flicked over his shoulder, no doubt tagging the location of the kids, before returning to him. A gloved hand was held out in offering and Qrow was quick to step forward to accept it, new bands gleaming beautifully on his wrists in the sharp lights of the hall. Clover’s attention caught on the jewelry for just a moment, his smile softening to something far too fond for Qrow to face just yet. The elder ducked his head, tugging the other along the path, leaving behind the excited (not subtle at all) whispers of the teenagers as they entered the elevator. In the privacy of the elevator, Clover lifted their joined hands to place a sweet kiss on the back of Qrow’s, igniting a soft blush across the pale skin. 

Grumbling slightly at the grin Clover gave him, Qrow all but dragged the younger man to his quarters. Since he still had a few days of medical leave before he was to be evaluated for duty again, he’d taken the time to make a full meal for them, including desert. It had kept him busy but more importantly it kept him from thinking so that he didn’t freak himself out. It was easier to do this relationship thing when Clover was with him. The brunette’s presence alone was usually enough to keep the doubt and insecurities at bay but they were still there. Silently lurking in the shadows of Qrow’s mind, just waiting for the chance to crawl out and drag him down. Clover knew about them. Had asked, quietly and with a lot of hesitating, if Qrow would consider seeking some kind of help to deal with the trauma that had been building up over the years. 

And Qrow had said yes.

He had promised, when he went in to get evaluated, that he would bring it up and allow the doctors to factor it in their calculations, as much as he disliked the idea. He wanted to get better. For his family. For himself. And for Clover. But for now they chose to spend their time together, learning each other as more than partners. More than friends. And for Qrow, for Clover, it was more than enough.


End file.
